Alcohol: 12%
Grape(s): Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Localization: Champagne, France
Tasting Notes: A beautiful coppery pink hue with luminous reflections and a graceful effervescence. An intense aromatic burst of strawberry and raspberry jelly, candied melon and almond paste, followed by refreshing notes of lime, menthol and thyme. An ample and refined attack, followed by the freshness of red fruit jelly, grapefruit flesh, tangerine candies and touch of pepper. A creamy and smooth mouthfeel evocative of vanilla, evolving towards a refreshing finish of pomegranate and cranberry notes.
Food pairing: This champagne will pair wonderfully with scallop or shrimp yakitoris, spring rolls, and filet mignon in the crust. Service temperature 8-9 degrees Celsius.
The Domain: Oldest continuously family-owned House, Billecart-Salmon, was founded in 1818 by the marriage of Nicolas Francois Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon. The House has developed renowned expertise in crafting fine, elegant, and balanced Champagnes for over two hundred years.
Billecart-Salmon was first and foremost the result a union between Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon who, in 1818 and just married, founded their own Champagne House in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, a small village near Epernay. At their side was Louis Salmon, Elisabeth’s brother and a passionate oenologist who, from the very beginning, dedicated himself to the development of the wines. From then on, their heirs have never stopped aiming for excellence in winemaking. Today led by seventh-generation Mathieu Roland-Billecart, each family member has endeavored to pursue the family tradition and stay faithful to the same motto: "give priority to quality, strive for excellence."
Billecart-Salmon rigorously cultivates an estate of 100 hectares, sourcing grapes from an area totaling 300 hectares across 40 crus of the Champagne region.
The majority of the grapes used for vinification come from a radius of 20km around Epernay, where the Grand Crus of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay co-exist, in the vineyards of the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs.
As part of the quest to increase the quality of their champagnes, in the 1950s, the House introduced the technique of cold settling combined with the use of stainless steel tanks for a longer fermentation at a lower temperature. Vinification occurs primarily on small thermoregulated tanks which allows the House to vinify parcels separately, preserving nuances of the expression of "terroir". Low-temperature fermentation slows down the process, encouraging aromas to delicately develop and allow the purity of the fruit to be fully expressed; absolute signature of the Billecart-Salmon style: finesse, elegance and balance.
Over three years of aging on lees in the chalk cellars for the non-vintage cuvees and over ten years for the prestige vintage cuvees, the family allows their wines to blossom. Giving the luxury of time to play its role is also behind the grandeur of Billecart-Salmon champagnes.
